Large-Scale Atmospheric Conditions During the Intensification of Hurricane Carmen (1974) II. Diabatic Heating Rates and Energy Budgets

Abstract

A diagnostic analysis Of the energetics of the large-scale flow during the development and intensification of Hurricane Carmen (1974) is presented. Data used in the study were taken during the Global Atmospheric Research Programs'(GARP) Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE) and are described in a companion paper by Vincent and Waterman (1979). Kinetic energy and available potential energy budgets are calculated both in Eulerian (fixed) and quasi-Lagrangian (moving) frames of reference. Diabatic heating rates are also given. Kinetic energy budget results indicate that large-scale kinetic energy is lost to smaller scales during Carmen's intensifying stage; whereas, during its mature stage, large-scale motions are gaining kinetic energy at the expense of smaller scale motions. Diabatic heating calculations yield reasonable distributions of stable latent heat release and longwave radiative heating. Certain shortcomings are noted in the computational scheme for convective latent boat release. Boundary layer heating is found to be insignificant. Available potential energy results indicate that energy gained due to diabatic heating and vertical temperature advection are balanced by a loss of energy due to direct thermal circulations. This gives a balance between the local rate of change of available potential energy and the change in energy due to changes in efficiency factors.